History repeating

From the Vikings to Vietnam, re-enactments are all the rage in Ireland this summer, but do political sensitivites sometimes spoil the fun?

The Vikings' swords are blunt but the visual authenticity is razor sharp

A
s the wind billows through the doorway of the tent and the clashing of steel chimes outside, Barry Gaynor contemplates the most significant date on his calendar. The chief of Fingal Living History Society, one of Ireland’s largest Viking re-enactment groups, is discussing 2014: the 1,000-year anniversary of the Battle of Clontarf.

For four years, his clan has been forging weaponry, swotting up on history from the period, and making contact with Viking groups overseas, in order to stage a commemoration of the legendary battle between Brian Boru and the forces of Máel Mórda. “By the time 2014 arrives, it won’t just be a load of lads jumping in at the deep end,” he says.

Gaynor’s surroundings suggest he means business. The Dubliner is sitting on an oak bed, a replica of the beds found in the Viking Oseberg ship, which dates from about 850AD. The tent is a replica,